


Orion

by Far_Beyond_The_Universe



Series: Klance Mermay 2019 [8]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M, MerMay, and it's also important to the plot, but it's not graphic in the least, guppy, mermaid keith, mermaid lance, oh wow this is darker than i planned, or at least an optimistic ending, plus there's a happy ending, someone is dead but it's not a named character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-03-04 22:16:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18821836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Far_Beyond_The_Universe/pseuds/Far_Beyond_The_Universe
Summary: Humans are dangerous.





	Orion

**Author's Note:**

> Heads up, this is darker than anything else, though it's not graphic or anything. I wanted these drabbles to be pretty light but I also wanted to advance the plot a bit and this was what ended up coming from that. THere's a happy ending, though. AND DON'T WORRY I would never hurt a guppy.

It was bad. 

Humans were getting braver and braver, coming into mer dens and killing them or taking their young. 

There was a rumor going around that they stole the eggs so that they could raise them in captivity and study them; the only way to get to eggs was either by luck of finding them left behind a few hours before they hatched but before they were eaten, or by tracking down pregnant mers that were about to lay their clutch and killing the parents before the babies were fully hatched.

Humans were doing the latter.

Lance got the news that his brother and his brother’s mate had been killed for their clutch, which had just been laid. The news had come quickly, someone had seen the bloodshed and gone to try and get help, but by the time they arrived it was too late. Lance was a mess as he glided through his brother’s cave and looked at all the shells they had used to decorate it. They had been so excited to grow their family.

Another one of Lance’s brothers helped carry the bodies out but Lance couldn’t leave; he kept drifting through the cave, trying to make sense of it all.

Keith was home with Kass. She didn’t need to see this. And it wasn’t safe enough in these waters anymore to leave her alone.

Something caught Lance’s attention from the corner of his eye. He swam closer.

Rolled underneath one of the larger shells was an egg. It was badly scratched and dented, but it was clearly the last remaining member of the clutch.

He reached out and touched it—it was warm with life. The guppy inside was getting restless as the egg was vibrating a little bit. Lance pulled it safely into the middle of the den.

The egg cracked open, first with little spiderwebbing cracks across the surface, then with harder and darker lines forming as the shell started to split apart. His brother arrived just in time to see their nephew push his way out of the egg and into the world.

They watched as the guppy chirruped a little, blinking his eyes open. He waved his tail fin, perhaps trying to move, but it was then that Lance saw that half of the fin was missing. The guppy had been born without half of his caudal fin—he may never learn to swim.

His brother looked at their nephew and then at Lance. Neither had reached out to the guppy who had now begun to make little noises of distress.

<It’s best if he’s left out for something to eat. I can’t take care of him, not like that> his brother said.

Lance swooped the guppy into his own arms without a second thought. He didn’t mean to sound bitter—his brother was just being practical—but he did when he said <He’s mine, then.>

Lance swam home, keeping the guppy pressed tight against him. The guppy fell asleep almost immediately, quickly lulled by the water brushing past his face. Lance melted at the sight of the peaceful little creature, though he knew the guppy should probably by crying right about now, looking for food.

Keith was surprised to see the little guy in Lance’s arms but he didn’t say anything about it. Instead he hurried to get some algae.

Kass was excited by the new arrival. She sped over.

<Is he my brother?> She asked. 

<Yes> Lance said. He lowered the guppy so that she could touch his face with her hand.

<What’s his name?>

Lance thought for a moment. It only took a moment. He was always good with names—he’d been the one to pick out Kass’s name and it fit her perfectly.

<His name is Orion.> 

<I love him already!> She squealed.

**Author's Note:**

> So a few things! I've always known Keith and Lance would end up with three guppies in this drabble series (yes, three. you've only met two for now. it may be a bit before #3 shows up) BUT @renten's comment a few drabbles ago gave me an idea for this little guy. Thank you for inspiring me! (It looks kinda bleak at the moment but don't worry there is so much fluff surrounding Orion I promise)
> 
> Also: on how mer people have babies in this series:
> 
> All mer's can create eggs but they need a partner to fertilize these eggs and not every mer can fertilize them (though it's not based on gender it's more like a trait that is passed genetically and about 50% can fertilize and 50% cannot). Anyways, the mer carries the eggs (there can be anywhere from 1-8, though 2-3 is the most common) until about three hours before they hatch. Then the clutch is laid and the guppies hatch on their own.
> 
> Kass was dumped by her parent during the time when she was an egg about to hatch as this is the most humane time to get rid of a guppy if the mer doesn't want it. the chances of something in the sea eating it are high. of course, the chances of it surviving much after it is all the way hatched is also very low.
> 
> One last fact! The caudal fin is the one at the very tip of the tail. I only did a little research, though, so if there's actually a more accurate name for it please let me know!


End file.
